I just got myself a little teacup Yorkie but I am afraid that my sensitive brother’s health will get affected by my pet. This led me to wonder: Are Yorkies Hypoallergenic?
I have researched and gathered a lot of information on Are Yorkies Hypoallergenic and came across some significant answers.
Have a look at this post to know whether Yorkies are hypoallergenic or not and how you can avoid getting allergic reactions from your Yorkie.
Are Yorkies Hypoallergenic? Top 5 Reasons
Yorkies do not have fur, but they have hair like humans, which means that they don’t shed as most dog breeds do. It also means that they will produce very few allergens as compared to other dogs.
So, yes, Yorkies are hypoallergenic. No dog can be completely hypoallergenic, so it is possible that you still catch some allergies from your Yorkie.
Let’s look at the top 5 reasons that Yorkies are hypoallergenic.
1. Dander
Dander is the most common allergen that people suffer from. This is equivalent to human dandruff. The dead skin cells of your Yorkie are made up of proteins that cause allergies in you.
When new skin cells start forming in your Yorkie’s skin, the dander will fall onto its hair. Depending on the shedding routine of your Yorkie, your house will become filled with dander.
However, as Yorkies don’t shed much, it may be that the little dander does not aggravate your allergies.
2. Size
Yorkies are small in size, so you won’t be dealing with dander problems much. Even though the dander is still produced in small amounts, your Yorkie’s hair makes it hard for the dander allergens to become airborne.
As a Yorkie is a small dog, it produces very few quantities of dander and the size also prevents the little dander produced to spread around the house since it can’t jump on furniture like the large breed dogs.
3. Allergies From Foreign Parasites
In case of allergies from parasites, it is not actually your dog that causes allergies but the allergic reactions that it carries from outside.
For example, if you took your dog to the park, it possibly picked up pollen from the flowers and grass which can turn out to be allergic to it, and you too.
The pollen or any other foreign parasites stick to your hypoallergenic dog even if it has hair and not fur. Just one little shake from your Yorkie and the allergens will be in the air.
4. Hair, Not Fur
Yorkies do not have fur like most dogs, but shiny, long hair like us humans. If you are a Yorkie owner, consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to deal with the constant shedding of fur.
Yorkies’ hair is a lot like human hair. It grows long until it falls off on its own or it is cut short.
5. Saliva
Most dog breeds like to lick their owner as a sign of love and affection, not knowing that their saliva can be harmful to their owner. Yorkies on the other hand, don’t lick that much.
A dog owner needs to be careful about the allergies that happen due to the dog’s saliva. Dogs have a lot of bacteria in their saliva even if you brush their teeth regularly. The bacteria in a dog’s saliva can cause dermatitis or other irritating skin issues.
Signs That Your Yorkie Is Hypoallergenic
Most dog breeds shed lots of furs which is allergic to their owner. But Yorkies have hair instead of fur, that does not shed as much. Even if your Yorkie has hair fall, if it does not affect your health, your Yorkie is hypoallergenic.
If your Yorkie sleeps in the same bed as you, and its hair does not bother you in any way, then it is another sign that your Yorkie is hypoallergenic.
Dogs generally lick their owners in order to show affection. Yorkies don’t lick as much as other dog breeds but if its saliva does not react on your skin, your Yorkie is probably a hypoallergenic dog.
Designer Yorkies are mostly known to be hypoallergenic. So, if you suffer from allergies, it is best that you get a designer dog for yourself.
Can Grooming Yorkies’ Hair Avoid Allergies?
Grooming your Yorkies’ hair can avoid dog allergies because short hair is less susceptible to picking up parasites. Regular grooming will keep your Yorkie clean and the dander away from its hair.
If you have any allergies that you probably picked up from your Yorkie, then it is a good idea to bathe and brush your Yorkie regularly. It is advised that you take your Yorkie to a professional groomer once in a while to keep your Yokie’s hair length appropriate.
Short Yorkie hair makes it hard for bugs or pollen to stick to its hair when it takes a troll in the park. You can also get some allergen-reducing products for your Yorkie’s hair for grooming.
This anti-parasitic shampoo will keep the bugs and fleas away from your Yorkie’s skin.
Do Yorkies Shed Fur?
Not only are Yorkies a hypoallergenic breed, but they are also non-shedding dogs. This means that Yorkies don’t shed as much as other dog breeds but they do experience hair loss throughout the year.
The hair texture and growth cycle of Yorkies do not make it evident even if they have hair fall or shed some fur.
7 Things You Should Do if You Are Allergic to Your Yorkie
1. Get Tested
The first thing that you should do is to get tested to affirm that you have an allergic reaction to your dog. You possibly picked up the allergies from other substances.
You can either do a skin test or a blood test to ascertain if your allergies root in dog dander or any other substances. Both these tests will help you find the root cause of your allergies.
If your allergies are indeed from your Yorkie, then your doctor might suggest that you let your pet go. But that is not an option for many people unless in the case of serious skin allergy. If the pet allergies are minor, you can take some steps to maintain proper hygiene with your Yorkie.
2. Frequent Bathes
Dogs don’t generally like to take a bath, which is why Yorkie owners bathe their pet once in 3 weeks.
However, if your allergies are caused by your Yorkie, then you should bathe your dog at least once in 2 weeks. This will keep your Yorkie clean and remove the allergens from its body.
As a dog lover, you might be leaning towards giving even more bathes, but it is not advised because even if you use the best shampoo, frequent bathes will make your Yorkie’s skin dry.
Have a look at this video to have informed knowledge on how to bathe your Yorkie.
3. Marking Your Territory
You should try to mark your territory where the entry of your Yorkie is totally off-limits. You can keep the rooms with carpet and your bed off-limits for your Yorkshire Terrier.
This will keep the carpet rooms clean and dander and any other allergens away from you.
If your Yorkie poo would not want to sleep away from you at night, make sure that you make a comfortable corner for it away from your bed. Ensure the proper circulation of air in the room so that the allergens don’t stick to the furniture.
You should also keep your Yorkie dog away from the fabric furniture that can trap your pet’s hair.
4. Regular Grooming
Most allergy sufferers choose Yorkies as their pets considering their non-shedding nature of hair. But it does not mean that their hair does not require regular grooming.
The long flowy hair of Yorkies can matt easily. It requires proper brushing and regular trimming of Yorkies’ hair to get matt-free healthy hair in Yorkies.
Regular brushing and bathing are also essential for removing the dander from your Yorkie’s hair. This ensures that there is no dander stuck to the furniture in your house.
Try bathing your Yorkie with this dander-reducing shampoo for better results.
5. Training
The first thing that you should do when you bring your Yorkie puppy home, is to set some ground rules for your pup. In the beginning, you should let your pet know which places are allowed for it to enter and which not.
As the little dog grows older, you can use commands like “no” or “stop” to stop your Yorkie from entering your bedroom or jumping on the furniture. You can also train your little furry friend not to lick its body.
Sometimes Yorkies portray aggressive behavior, but with regular training, your Yorkshire Terrier will pick up the commands and behave accordingly. It is important that you praise your Yorkie along the way with treats for good behavior.
If it is difficult for you to train your Yorkie, you can hire a professional trainer to help you out.
6. Maintaining Hygiene
The complicated thing about the allergens from your Yorkie is that they are not visible to the naked eye and can travel through the air to settle anywhere in your house.
Therefore, it is important to maintain hygiene and clean your house regularly.
You should regularly clean your floor using a vacuum cleaner to get rid of all the dog hair that your Yorkies shed. It is also advised that you vacuum clean the fabric furniture and drapes as well.
If your house has carpet all around, then you should get a vacuum cleaner specially designed to pull out dog hair. You can check out this powerful vacuum cleaner for pet hair here.
7. Getting Your Dog Cleaned Before Entering The House
It is possible that your Yorkie is not producing the allergens that cause your allergy but just picking them on the way. If you have an allergy to dust or pollen, then it is best that you get your dog cleaned when it comes from outside.
You can clean your Yorkie’s paws using wipes or a damp cloth. After that, use a brush to remove dust and other particles from your Yorkie’s coat. This should be practiced especially in the spring season when the pollen count increases.
You can also use a blow dryer to blow the dust particles away. Make sure that the blow dryer is set a foot away from your Yorkie and is in cool mode.
Do this on your porch, away from your door and windows so that the dust does not get inside your house.
Precautions To Avoid Allergies To Your Yorkie
Preventing the allergens to transfer to your home is the best option for your health. You should take some preventive measures before you start reacting to your Yorkie’s allergens.
For this reason, take these preventive measures and keep the allergens away:
- Brush your Yorkie’s hair regularly, especially if your dog has long hair
- Take your Yorkie to the vet to examine its skin for allergens once in a while
- Use a flea comb to get rid of any fleas in your Yorkies coat
- Use hypo-allergenic products to keep your house clean
- Get dander-free shampoo for your Yorkie as soon as you see the dander in your Yorkie’s hair
- Offer filtered water instead of tap water for general good health
- Identify the allergens in your Yokie, if any, to take preventive measures immediately
- Look out for any food allergens that can be present in the dog food
- Get raw food rather than store-bought food for your Yorkie so that there is no dietary skin reaction or food allergies in your Yorkie
Conclusion
We hope that you got the answers to Are Yorkies Hypoallergenic. Yorkshire Terrier is a hypoallergenic dog breed, mostly because it has hair instead of fur. However, no dog can be completely hypoallergenic.
Use regular grooming and maintain hygiene to prevent any allergens from your Yorkie to stick in your house.
Get yourself tested first to ascertain the cause of the allergy because it might be that your dog is not the reason that you got the allergy.
